Former Jared Holt Manufacturing

Highlights

Participation in DEC's ERP allowed the City of Albany to complete an important phase of its South End Revitalization Project.

Each Jared Holt townhouse has a unique facade that
retains the look of historic Albany architecture.

Site Description

This property has a history of industrial use going back more than 100 years. The former Jared Holt Manufacturing Company made "stitching wax" used on shoes to lubricate the thread, protect it from moisture, and to help hold the treads together. The company used drums and storage containers containing chemicals including dyes, reagents, acids, oxidizers, solvents, pigments, paints, cleaning products and petroleum products. Poor controls on the handling of these products lead to spillage and other releases of various products onto the site.

Cleanup

The site investigation identified polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) compounds in the soils on-site. The remedy called for importing of two feet of clean fill is to eliminate the potential for human contact with the soil below the cover system. The remedy also included a property deed restriction forbidding the use of groundwater at the site.

Three underground storage tanks (USTs) were decontaminated and removed from the site. These USTs were used to store fuel oil as well as products used for manufacturing.

A Site Management Plan (SMP) has been incorporated into the site remedy to provide proper management of the on-site soils. A deed restriction is recorded with the Albany County Clerk to ensure compliance with this SMP. The cleanup was performed by the City of Albany Industrial Development Agency with oversight from DEC.

Reuse

For decades, the Jared Holt factory was the heart of Albany's South End District. However, the site became an eyesore after the factory closed, first as a decaying building and then as an empty lot once the structure was demolished in 1999. After the site was cleaned up, the City constructed townhouses that not only reclaim the site, but retain the look of historic Albany architecture. Each townhouse has a unique façade, and developers carefully included construction details that meet National Historic District guidelines.